Keselowski Secures New Hampshire Pole

Brad Keselowski will start from the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (HHP/Alan Marler Photo)

LOUDON, N.H. – Brad Keselowski put his No. 2 Miller Lite Ford on the pole Friday during qualifying for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, setting a track record in the process.

Keselowski’s 28.022-second lap at 135.922 mph was enough to give him his third career Sprint Cup pole. Jimmie Johnson, who barely got through inspection in time to make a qualifying attempt, clocked in at 28.026 seconds at 135.902 mph to qualify second.

Johnson’s time was later disallowed by NASCAR when it was discovered the front of his car was too low on both sides. Johnson will start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field.

“We have a really fast car,” said Keselowski. “The Blue Deuce has been fast since we unloaded here and we came here and tested a few weeks back and the guys did a great job giving me an awesome car. I don’t feel like I nailed a perfect lap, but my guys carried me with that car. Hopefully it will be fast on Sunday when it really counts.”

Kurt Busch will start second in his Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon. Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Burton and Juan Pablo Montoya completed the top 10. The top nine qualifiers all broke the previous track record set by Ryan Newman in 2011.

All 43 cars that attempted to qualify will start Sunday’s race. Morgan Shepherd, who qualified 42nd in the 43-car field, will become the oldest driver to start a Sprint Cup race on Sunday. He is 71 years old and made his first Sprint Cup start in 1970.